St. Louis County Court Records Search: Missouri Case.net, Dockets, Copies & Court Routing
Search St. Louis County court records through the correct Missouri system. This guide covers Case.net, civil and criminal cases, divorce, probate, small claims, municipal courts, juvenile access limits, certified copies, Missouri appeals and federal records.
St. Louis County is not the City of St. Louis
The first step is jurisdiction. St. Louis County, Missouri and the independent City of St. Louis are separate court jurisdictions. The St. Louis County Circuit Court is Missouri’s 21st Judicial Circuit and its primary courthouse is in Clayton.
If a filing, ticket, summons or judgment identifies the City of St. Louis rather than St. Louis County, do not assume the Clayton courthouse maintains the record.
Independent-site notice: Public-Court-Records.us is not the St. Louis County Circuit Court, Missouri Judiciary, Circuit Clerk, municipality, law firm, police agency, PACER or Consumer Reporting Agency. A complaint, petition, charge, indictment or citation is not proof of guilt or liability. Do not use this guide as an FCRA-regulated employment, housing, credit, insurance or tenant-screening product.
Choose your St. Louis County record need
Which St. Louis County court-record route should you use?
Select the type of record. This browser-only helper does not ask for or transmit a person’s name, date of birth, address or case number.
For a general civil matter, locate the public case in Case.net, verify the 21st Judicial Circuit and review the docket. Contact the Circuit Clerk when you need the official file or certified document.
How to search St. Louis County court records on Missouri Case.net
St. Louis County’s official “Find My Case” instructions direct users to Missouri Case.net. The county specifically instructs users to enter a case number or litigant name, then open the desired case. Case.net is also used for public court-date and docket information.
Use the Missouri Courts website rather than a commercial people-search site.
This is usually more precise than searching a common name.
Compare the court, party role, filing date, case type and case number.
Read events chronologically instead of relying on a single complaint, motion, charge or judgment entry.
Case.net includes a Service Information tab for covered cases, which St. Louis County’s Sheriff’s FAQ directs users to for service-status information.
The county explains that the service can provide email or optional mobile notifications, but those notifications are not official court notices.
Document availability depends on the case and document security level. Public courthouse terminals can provide access to public electronic documents that are not necessarily remotely viewable.
A Case.net screen or ordinary downloaded document does not replace a certified court copy when certification is required.
After opening this link:
- Use case-number search if you already have the court number.
- Otherwise use the supported litigant-name search.
- Confirm the result identifies St. Louis County / the correct court.
- Review parties, docket entries, hearings and disposition information.
- Do not interpret missing confidential information as proof that no case exists.
St. Louis County records by case type
| Record needed | Correct route | Practical search step |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit civil lawsuit | 21st Judicial Circuit / Circuit Clerk | Start in Missouri Case.net and confirm St. Louis County before opening the docket. |
| Felony or other circuit criminal case | 21st Judicial Circuit criminal docket | Search Case.net, then contact Criminal/Traffic or the Circuit Clerk for an official record. |
| Associate civil matter | Associate Circuit divisions | Use Case.net; confirm the associate division and case type shown on the docket. |
| Small claim of $5,000 or less | St. Louis County Small Claims Division | Search Case.net for the case; Small Claims office handles St. Louis County small-claim records and procedures. |
| Divorce, custody or paternity | Circuit Court / Family Court domestic-relations docket | Use Case.net for eligible public information; certified divorce decrees come from the Circuit Clerk. |
| Probate, estate or will | Probate Division, 21st Judicial Circuit | Use Case.net when publicly indexed, then contact Probate or Certified Copies for document copies. |
| Juvenile court record | St. Louis County Family Court / Juvenile Court | Do not assume open online access. Juvenile files have special access, sealing and retention rules. |
| Municipal ordinance or city traffic case | Municipal division named on ticket/summons | Use the county Municipal Division directory and the specific municipality’s court administrator. |
| Missouri appeal | Missouri Court of Appeals / Case.net | Use Case.net plus Missouri’s appellate dockets, opinions and decisions resources. |
| Federal civil or criminal case | U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri | Use PACER, not Missouri Case.net. |
| Bankruptcy | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Missouri | Use PACER or the bankruptcy court’s federal case-information resources. |
How to get a certified St. Louis County court record
The St. Louis County Circuit Clerk publishes unusually useful instructions for certified and authenticated court-file copies. This is different from merely printing a Case.net page.
Information the Clerk asks you to provide
- Case number.
- Names of the parties.
- Whether you want a certified or authenticated copy.
- Title of the exact document, or state that you need the complete file.
- Approximate filing date, judgment date or, for a dissolution, the date the divorce was granted.
After opening this link:
- Find the certified/authenticated copy question.
- Write down the case number and party names.
- Identify the exact document instead of requesting unnecessary pages.
- Confirm certification versus authentication.
- Call 314-615-8015 to verify the current total and processing method.
Finding a St. Louis County divorce decree
St. Louis County’s Circuit Clerk states that a person looking for a divorce decree may search Missouri Case.net when the divorce was filed after 1979 to obtain the cause number.
Use the spouses’ names and narrow the result to St. Louis County.
This lets Certified Copies locate the file more accurately.
If you need the dissolution judgment or decree, request that exact document rather than the entire case file.
The Clerk lists 314-615-8015 for certified court-file copies and divorce-decree copy assistance.
Files stored off-site require at least three working days under the Clerk’s current guidance.
St. Louis County small claims: useful record-search limits
The St. Louis County Small Claims Division handles money claims of $5,000 or less. This matters for record research because a user searching for a small dispute should not automatically look for a separate municipal case.
Small Claims handles claims for money up to $5,000.
105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105
Recorded information: 314-615-8091
A judgment does not by itself prove the judgment remains unpaid. Review later docket activity for satisfaction, appeal, vacation or other post-judgment events.
After opening this link:
- Confirm the record really is a St. Louis County small-claims matter.
- Use Case.net to locate the case and docket.
- Review later entries if you are researching a judgment.
- Contact the Clerk for copies or certification.
St. Louis County probate, estate and will records
The Probate Division of the 21st Judicial Circuit oversees decedent estates and related probate proceedings. Probate files may include wills, estate administrations, guardianship matters, trusts and other proceedings, but access can differ by record type.
St. Louis County Courts Building
105 South Central Avenue
Clayton, MO 63105
The Circuit Clerk’s FAQ states that if the court has a record for the deceased person, a will copy may be requested in person or through Certified Copies.
Current published will-copy price: $1.00 per page.
After opening this link:
- Confirm the proceeding belongs to St. Louis County Probate Court.
- Use Case.net to locate public case information where available.
- Identify the estate or probate case number.
- For a will or certified order, contact the court’s copy department.
- Do not assume guardianship or mental-health information is unrestricted.
Juvenile cases require a different access analysis
St. Louis County Family Court maintains specific administrative orders governing access, sealing, retention and destruction of juvenile records. That alone is a reason not to treat juvenile files as ordinary Case.net records.
If you are an authorized party and need a juvenile record, contact the Family Court and follow its current access procedure rather than relying on general online-search instructions.
St. Louis County has many municipal court divisions
A city ordinance or municipal citation may belong to the municipality named on the ticket rather than the main St. Louis County Circuit Clerk counter. The 21st Judicial Circuit maintains a current Municipal Division directory for communities throughout St. Louis County.
The directory includes municipalities such as Ballwin, Brentwood, Chesterfield, Clayton, Creve Coeur, Ellisville, Eureka, Ferguson, Florissant, Frontenac, Webster Groves, Wildwood and many others, with current court-administrator contact information.
Identify the municipality and court name printed on the document.
Confirm that the result belongs to the correct municipal division.
Find the current administrator and telephone number for that municipality.
Do not automatically apply the main Circuit Clerk’s certified-copy fee to a municipal office without verification.
After opening this link:
- Find the municipality named on the citation.
- Confirm the court administrator and current telephone number.
- Ask whether the case can be searched online.
- Verify the hearing date directly when a deadline or appearance is involved.
Do not confuse St. Louis County court records with custody records
| Question | Best source type | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Was a court case filed? | Missouri Case.net / Circuit Clerk | Court dockets show filings and court activity. |
| What is the case disposition? | Court / Circuit Clerk | The judicial record is the correct source for case outcome. |
| Is someone currently in custody? | Jail / corrections source | Current custody is not established by a court docket alone. |
| Was someone booked? | Law enforcement / jail | Booking is a law-enforcement event, not a final court disposition. |
| Was there a conviction? | Court docket / certified disposition | An arrest or charge cannot establish conviction status. |
Missouri appellate records are separate from the St. Louis County trial docket
When a St. Louis County case is appealed, Missouri’s appellate system becomes relevant. Missouri Courts provides separate resources for pending cases, appellate dockets, oral arguments, opinions and decisions.
After opening this link:
- Use Case.net to identify the appellate case if available.
- Open Dockets and Oral Arguments for scheduled appellate matters.
- Use Opinions and Other Decisions for published appellate rulings.
- Keep the trial-court and appellate case numbers separate.
Federal St. Louis County cases use the Eastern District of Missouri
Federal cases do not belong in Missouri Case.net. St. Louis County federal civil and criminal cases use the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, while bankruptcy records use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse
111 South 10th Street
St. Louis, MO 63102
Public federal records use PACER.
Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse
111 South 10th Street, 4th Floor
St. Louis, MO 63102
Clerk: 314-244-4500
Public office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
After opening this link:
- Confirm that your matter is a federal case.
- Use PACER to reach the court’s CM/ECF database.
- Search by exact case number when possible.
- Review current PACER fees before opening multiple documents.
After opening this link:
- Use the St. Louis / Eastern Division information when appropriate.
- Use PACER for docket and document access.
- Contact the Clerk for court-specific copy questions.
- Do not search a federal bankruptcy matter as a St. Louis County civil case.
Why a Case.net record or document may not be visible
Missouri court access is not an all-or-nothing system. A case may be public while one or more documents inside it are confidential. Other cases can be confidential and excluded from ordinary public name searches.
- Confidential case type.
- Sealed or restricted record.
- Juvenile confidentiality.
- Mental-health or other protected material.
- Document has a higher security level.
- Older paper or off-site file.
- Confirm the court and case number.
- Ask the Circuit Clerk whether the file is public.
- Ask whether courthouse terminal access is available.
- Allow extra time for off-site files.
- Do not look for leaked copies of sealed records.
St. Louis County Courts Building in Clayton
105 South Central Avenue
Clayton, MO 63105
General information: 314-615-8029
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
St. Louis County Circuit Clerk
Phone: 314-615-8015
Have the case number, party names, exact document and copy type ready before contacting the department.
Before visiting, confirm that the file is maintained at the Clayton courthouse rather than a municipal court, off-site facility or federal court. Older off-site cases may require advance retrieval.
A filing is not the final outcome
| Entry | What it usually indicates | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Petition / complaint | A party started a case or made allegations. | That the allegations were proven. |
| Defendant / respondent | A party role in the proceeding. | That the person committed wrongdoing. |
| Motion | A party asked the judge for relief. | That the court granted the request. |
| Charge | A criminal accusation. | That it resulted in a conviction. |
| Judgment | The court entered a judgment. | That it remains unsatisfied, unpaid, unappealed or unmodified. |
| Dismissal | A claim or case was dismissed. | The legal reason without reading the relevant docket entry or order. |
What if you cannot find the St. Louis County case?
- Confirm St. Louis County versus City of St. Louis.
- Try the exact case number.
- Check spelling, middle name and suffix.
- Confirm whether the matter is municipal.
- Check whether the case is state or federal.
- Confidential or sealed file.
- Juvenile matter.
- Protected document within a public case.
- Older file stored off-site.
- Public terminal may be needed for document viewing.
Frequently asked questions about St. Louis County court records
What is the official search for St. Louis County court records?
Missouri Case.net is the official statewide public case-information system used to locate eligible St. Louis County court cases. The St. Louis County 21st Judicial Circuit also directs users to Case.net from its Find My Case page.
Can I search St. Louis County court records by name?
Yes. St. Louis County’s official Find My Case instructions direct users to Missouri Case.net, where users can search by case number or litigant name. A name match alone does not establish identity, so verify the court, case number, filing date, case type, party role and docket.
Is St. Louis County court the same as the City of St. Louis court?
No. St. Louis County and the independent City of St. Louis are separate jurisdictions. The St. Louis County 21st Judicial Circuit is based in Clayton, so users should confirm which jurisdiction actually handled the case.
How much does a certified St. Louis County court record cost?
The St. Louis County Circuit Clerk currently lists a copy charge of $0.30 per page for certified or authenticated court-file copies, plus $1.50 for certification or $3.50 for authentication. Payment is required before release.
How do I get a certified copy from St. Louis County Circuit Court?
Provide the Circuit Clerk’s Certified Copies Department with the case number, party names, whether you want a certified or authenticated copy, the exact document or full file requested and the approximate filing or judgment date. The Certified Copies Department can be reached at 314-615-8015.
Can I find a St. Louis County divorce decree online?
The Circuit Clerk says users may search Missouri Case.net for a St. Louis County divorce filed after 1979 to obtain the cause number. Official decree copies can then be requested through the Certified Copies Department.
Where do I find St. Louis County probate and will records?
Probate matters are handled by the Probate Division of the St. Louis County Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk states that a copy of a will in an existing court record can be requested through the court, and its FAQ currently lists a will-copy charge of $1.00 per page.
Are St. Louis County juvenile court records public?
Juvenile records are subject to special confidentiality, access, retention, destruction and sealing rules. The St. Louis County Family Court maintains specific administrative orders governing access to juvenile records, so users should not assume juvenile documents are publicly searchable.
Where do I search a St. Louis County municipal court case?
St. Louis County contains many municipal divisions with separate court administrators and contact information. Use the 21st Judicial Circuit Municipal Division directory and the municipality named on the citation or summons rather than assuming every municipal matter is handled by the main Clayton Circuit Clerk.
Where do I search federal court or bankruptcy records from St. Louis County?
Federal district and bankruptcy matters use the U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Public federal docket and document access is through PACER rather than Missouri Case.net.
Official sources reviewed for this guide
This page was checked against the St. Louis County Courts 21st Judicial Circuit, Circuit Clerk, Circuit Clerk FAQs, Find My Case, Small Claims, Probate Court, Municipal Division, Family Court administrative-order information, Missouri Courts Case.net and public-access guidance, Missouri appellate resources, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and PACER.